


Butterfly Kisses

by FelineNostalgic



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alpha!Ivan, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - College/University, And I wanted to fix that, F/M, FACE Family, Fluff, M/M, Might add smut??, Omegaverse, accidental baby oopsie, alpha!arthur, alpha!feliciano, alpha!heracles, alpha!matthew, gonna properly warn tho for people who dont like mpreg, i imagine katyusha/ukraine as ivans cousin, i saw lack of omegaverse, idk we'll see, im a weenie but i like smut, it will be skippable for the most part, oh my god they were roommates, omega!alfred, omega!francis, omega!katyusha, omega!kiku, omega!ludwig, will include mpreg eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:35:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25625266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FelineNostalgic/pseuds/FelineNostalgic
Summary: Alfred is a hormonally imbalanced omega; he looks like an alpha, but smells and feels like an omega. He feels so alone in this world where he doesn't fit into either dynamic comfortably, until... he meets his new roommate, Ludwig, who's just like him. Together, they team up to help each other find a mate.
Relationships: America/Russia (Hetalia), Canada/Ukraine (Hetalia), England/France (Hetalia), Germany/North Italy (Hetalia), Greece/Japan (Hetalia)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 212





	1. Meeting

If there was anything in this world that everyone knew, it was the roles of alphas and omegas.

Alphas were big, bulky violent brutes with an extremely talented nose, capable of picking up scents of prey skittering through the woods… or something like that.

Omegas were soft, small, and had a scorching maternal fury that would lay waste to anyone who dared hurt their pups, probably. Weaker, but more agile. At least that’s what everyone was told.

Alfred, though… wasn’t really… that. Not really that at all. He was an omega, sure, but that’s not what he _looked_ like. He was tall, broad, not smooth-skinned like omegas were; rather, he was hairy, covered in what looked like golden threads. His jaw was strong, not rounded; his hips were narrow, not wide “birthing” hips (ugh, he hated that term). Nothing seemed to prove to anyone that he was truly an omega, except for his strong, sweet-smelling scent, like candy.

School was rough. Too rough. While his twin brother Matthew, was an ordinary alpha and fit in, Alfred couldn’t just fit in with the omegas or the alphas. For the omegas, he was too big, too strong, too rough. For alphas, he was too small, too weak, too mild. Sometimes he was invited to places with both groups, but just being with them seemed to solidify their impression of him that he was too… not like them to be with them. It was an irritating thing to have to sit alone during lunch. He couldn’t wait to graduate.

He was required to put it on all his papers, stamped in big letters, even when applying for a job. Sure, the schools he was applying to should know, but something irked him about having to put it on his resume. “Hormonal imbalance; currently on treatment plan”. Right there on the page.

It sucked majorly, and he felt so alone in it. It was so completely abnormal for omegas to have this problem; it was much more common for alphas to have problems bulking up, but the problem was… no one could grow _down_ , in reverse. There was nothing that would make him smaller. 

He didn’t mind being an omega. Alfred just wished he was a normal one.

Due to his condition, his parents and even his brother were all very protective of him. It was comforting to know that they really did feel bad and they still wanted to protect him despite him not being the typical omega (after all, omegas were helpless, but alphas weren’t- he expected they wouldn’t worry as much considering he was bulkier, but it just made them _more_ protective).

When he _did_ finally graduate, his parents were so proud of him. His omega-father, Francis, had definitely cried, hugging him and his brother tightly. Even tighter when the reality that both of them would be leaving home at the same time hit him. They weren’t going to the same colleges, surprisingly (as kids, they had mentioned that they would stick together for the rest of their lives, but with time, that statement became null; their interests were simply too different), and both of them were nervous, but it was the right thing to do. Alfred wanted to study biology, while Matthew wanted to study mechanics in Germany.

When Mattie left earlier in the year, their parents were congratulatory and happy that he was leaving the nest. Their alpha-father, their dad, pat him on the back, had grinned and told Matthew to call them. Their omega-father, their papa, was a bit more emotional, though he held it in enough even as they hugged. Alfred wished him a good trip, nice flight, and they hugged, and that was it. Matthew waved and he disappeared into the gate.

However, when Alfred had to be dropped off, it seemed like his fathers didn’t want him to go, hugging him multiple times and making Alfred feel a little more embarrassment than he thought. It was nice that they cared, but… maybe not so much, would be nice. He almost felt bad for shooing them off, but he needed to get his room set up. He had a roommate and he didn’t want to make a bad impression!

“Just make sure to call us lots, _oui_?” Alfred’s omega-father pleaded. “Don’t forget, we want to know what’s going on with you. Especially if you like someone, tell me? _S’il te plait?_ ”

He nodded, smiling briefly before waving. “I will, I will, you guys should leave me be, though! My roommate is coming. The coordinator said that I’d be good friends with him!”

Finally, his parents left, but almost as soon as he closed the door, it swung open again. Half expecting Francis again, he sighed. “Papa-”

Alfred quickly cut himself off. Standing there was not his father, but… an alpha? No, not an alpha, the scent wasn’t as strong. An omega. 

An omega just like him. Built like an alpha, but with a sweet, omega-like scent. 

They both stared, unsure what to say, just taking each other in. The new omega was tall, muscular, and had slicked-back silvery blond hair, which was somewhat similar to Alfred’s own (though Alfred’s was not nearly as neat). 

“I’m Alfred,” he grinned, breaking the silence. It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable, it was more of a startled silence. 

Shaking himself out of his shock, the other omega smiled lightly. “Ludwig.”

It was something neither of them ever thought would happen— two hormonally abnormal omegas, now roommates. It was crazy! Clearly, Ludwig was the more shy one, who simply set down his suitcase on his bed and got to work in organizing while Alfred barraged him with questions. 

“How are you? Where are you from? I like your accent! I’m from a couple hours away, a little more down south! The drive felt sooooo long because I was nervous but now that I know that there are other omegas like me, I’m not so nervous anymore! What classes are you taking? You seem like more of a literature guy, but I could be wrong!”

The amount that he was talking was purely out of excitement, but he finally came to a stop, embarrassed of his ramblings and waiting for a response. He perked up when he finally got one. 

“I am good… I come from Germany. I am taking biology.” The other man looked like he was struggling to keep up with the English. 

It was a simple answer, but it sent Alfred off on another rambling session. 

“Oh my gosh, you’re from Germany? That’s where my twin brother’s going to school! His name is Matthew, he’s an alpha— completely normal one, mind you, I don’t know how I got all the bad genes— and he’s studying mechanics. Probably because you guys have all those nice cars there, hm? Anyway! Do you have a brother?”

Ludwig settled down on the bed, eyes wide at the speed of Alfred’s ramble, but nodded. “That’s nice. I have a brother. He’s Gilbert, and an alpha, too.”

“We’re so similar! That’s crazy!” He grinned, sitting on his bed too. It was a small, cramped dorm, with a small kitchen and an even smaller living space, with the beds placed parallel to each other. Intimate, but omegas liked being closer to others. Alphas would get their own small rooms or a divider. Alfred didn’t know whether to be jealous of the alphas, or glad he had a small room with a similar omega. “Do you have a mate?”

Ludwig shook his head, looking a bit sad. “ _Nein_. No mate. And you?”

Alfred’s shoulders slumped a bit. He would have had hope for himself if Ludwig said yes, but he was foolish to think such a thing would work. “No, I’m in the same boat. No mate.”

They shared a brief understanding look between them, knowing the struggles of finding an alpha who would take a mate who rivalled their size. Both Alfred and Ludwig were big, which meant that finding someone bigger… wasn’t really an option. They were of about average alpha height, six feet tall and six-foot-two respectively. 

“Do you cook?” Alfred asked, trying to brush away the previous topic. “I cook sometimes but only really meat…”

“I cook meat too,” Ludwig nodded. “Some potatoes.”

“Man, we’re going to spend a fortune on meat if that’s both our main source of sustenance,” he chuckled, standing up and investigating the kitchen. Like he knew, it was small, but there were little hidden compartments that had pots, pans, and utensils in it. He started to take things out, looking them over. What could he make? 

Ludwig gave a small smile of amusement in return. “You pay, I cook, then I pay, you cook?”

“Deal.”

Maybe college wouldn’t be so bad, especially when he had someone to relate to there with him.

~

Over the next few days before their classes, Alfred and Ludwig got to know each other’s interests. Alfred wanted to be an astrophysicist when he was younger, Ludwig learned (through a mix of figuring out what Alfred was saying himself, and using google translate), but Alfred didn’t want to spend his time doing his passion out of fear that he would grow bored of it. 

Ludwig, too, didn’t want to do his favourite thing-- mechanics-- as a job because it would take away his hobby, which wasn’t fun. So that was another thing that they had similar views on. Interestingly enough, they both chose biology as their next main interest, though for different reasons. Ludwig wanted to be someone who figured out what the proper cure of hormonal abnormalities were (rather than just fixing the symptoms), and Alfred just found biology cool and interesting.

“I’ll bet we’ll have fun going to the same main class!” Alfred chirped as they grabbed their supplies. “We could share paper and books and writing stuff, you know, like pencils… what are they called… writing utensils!”

Ludwig snorted, nodding. “Yes. Pencils and pens-”

“Maybe,” Alfred interrupted, his voice going quiet and his eyes growing wide. “Maybe… maybe we’ll find mates.”

Anxiety immediately clutched at Ludwig’s throat, and he mimicked Alfred’s expression. He wanted a mate, but if he was presented with one, would he even take them? “Do you think…?”

The only response was a shrug. “Why not? I know my parents found each other during college. Early on, too. Maybe we’ll find our mates here.”

He blinked owlishly, glancing down at his backpack of notebooks and such. “Both of us?”

Alfred shrugged again. “Well, if you find yours, you’d better help me find mine.”

“Same with you,” he smirked.

“Deal,” Al grinned, and they shook hands. So that was the deal they agreed on; if either of them found a mate, they would help the non-mated one find a mate. Simple, and probably common for omegas or alphas. Only now, it was a lot harder, considering both of them were seen as undesirable.

Ludwig was the one who constantly stuck to schedules and was never late, and since they were in the same room, Alfred just had to be dragged to a class, on time, for the first (and, maybe last) time. There was a bit of a mix-up with what building it was, but they managed to finally get into the classroom, chests heaving. 

When they noticed the professor wasn’t even there yet, they both visibly relaxed, finding a spot close to the middle to settle into. 

And that’s when Alfred caught a whiff of something… lovely.


	2. Something Warm

Glancing around quickly, Alfred tried to figure out the source of the scent. He was an omega, which meant _hearing_ was his strongpoint, not smell, and it made every bit harder to find the person who had that scent.

Ludwig definitely noticed Alfred’s sudden interest in scents. “What is it?”

“I-I think I found a scent I like,” he admitted, sheepishly. So soon after they made this bonded promise, he found someone? Well, he found a scent… that was all he could find though. He couldn’t tell if it was stale.

He looked around, frowning slightly. It seemed like the group of people that just walked in-- a mix of alphas and omegas, plus the professor-- and it wasn’t clear who was the source of the scent, all of the scents muddled together. “Ugh… why can’t I have a better nose?”

“What does it smell like?” Ludwig pressed. Yes, he was jealous that Alfred found a scent that he liked, but they did have a promise between them. If Alfred got a mate from this, he would help Ludwig. That was enough to prompt him to help.

“Like… yummy,” Alfred blushed, giving up his search. Maybe during class when everyone settled down, he could find the general direction of the scent.

“Yummy?” Ludwig frowned. “Like food?”

“Like a campfire and s’mores and baked goods and pine. A nice winter camping trip...”

Jealousy increased tenfold there, but Ludwig didn’t let it show. “Oh, okay.”

Considering that was the first time Alfred had caught a scent he actually liked, he couldn’t concentrate too well. Even as the professor began his introduction and handed out the overview, Alfred couldn’t stop trying to catch a scent. It seemed to be a little closer to the front.

“Maybe it’s him?” Alfred mumbled, catching sight of a brown-haired alpha near the front. He was handsome (at least, from what Alfred could tell, from his back; he cursed that he had chosen to sit near the middle) and obviously muscular. But he couldn’t tell if the alpha was just as tall or taller than him… or shorter. 

Ludwig craned to look at the alpha without being too obvious. “Him-? We could ask after.”

“We can’t just ask!” Alfred protested, cheeks reddening a bit. “I should just walk past him and see if the scent gets stronger.”

An omega, who was sitting beside them on the right, leaned over. “He sleeps around a lot. You might get lucky and be able to sleep with him.”

“I don’t want to just sleep with him, I want a proper mate,” he grumbled, leaning on the palm of his hand. Another omega on the other side of them-- fairly small with blunt-cut black hair-- cleared his throat. 

“I don’t think that’s the scent you smell.” 

Alfred slumped a bit. “How can you be sure?”

The omega blushed a bit, glancing over at the alpha before hiding his face. “I like his scent, it’s different from what you described.”

“Were you listening to us?” Alfred demanded, just a little too loud.

They were all interrupted by the alpha professor, who shushed them. “I’d appreciate it if you could keep your conversations quieter, or listen.”

The professor, who had just looked so cheerful and kind before, had a cross look on his handsome face and Al had the decency to be a tiny bit embarrassed. “Sorry.”

The alpha professor nodded and continued, and as soon as his attention was drawn away from the omegas, Alfred leaned towards the raven-haired omega again. “What’s your name?”

“Kiku,” the omega replied, still looking embarrassed that the professor snapped at them. “Yours?”

“Alfred! Nice to meet you. Do you like that alpha?”

Kiku nodded, cheeks once again tinted red. “Yes. He’s just not very committed to finding a mate…”

“That simply won’t do! You should talk to him!” Alfred whispered far too loudly. The professor gave him another stern look, and the blond coughed lightly, cheeks flushed.

Kiki decided to try and ignore Alfred from then on, paying no mind to the other’s constant flood of semi-quiet questions in an attempt to pay attention to what was being said. Ludwig found it all sort of amusing. Eventually the raven-haired omega let out a sigh, tired of ignoring the prods. “I appreciate the willingness to get to know me but… now isn’t really the right time to do it.”

Alfred perked up when he finally got the response. “Oh, yeah, whatever. I’m sure the prof doesn’t mind. He probably gets people louder than me. What were you saying before though? About the brown haired alpha? He’s your interest?”

“He sleeps around. I don’t think he’s really looking for a mate.”

“And you like him,” Ludwig chimed in for the first time. “And he’s not the source of the scent. Why are we still talking about him then?”

“I don’t know!” Alfred shrugged, huffing and crossing his arms. “Maybe it’s someone else? Or what if it’s from the class before? Then I’ll have to have an even bigger pool of candidates.”

 _At least you HAVE candidates,_ Ludwig thought, but he kept his mouth shut. 

“What happens if my intended isn’t my type?!” Alfred gasped, eyes wide. “What if they’re small and weak and tiny and weird and gross?? That would be horrible! What if they don’t have a beard or nice eyes or a nice smile?”

Kiku quickly tapped Alfred’s arm, frowning a bit. “Chill a bit, please, you’re worrying too much. Isn’t it a given that your soulmate or whatever is automatically your type?”

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Ludwig pointed out. “My mother was apparently very big and bulky and my father was tiny. Both of them were looking in the wrong… areas, so to speak. They didn’t expect to fall in love.”

“I knoooow, but I’m still worried I won’t like my mate, if one ever comes along,” the golden-haired boy grumbled, splaying himself across the desk in defeat. 

Finally, class came to a close, and Alfred barely fit everything into his bag before he bounded down to the front of the class. It was obvious he was attempting to sniff the air down there. For most people, it was considered quite rude, but since he had smelled a scent that was a prospective mate… most people just ignored it.

When Ludwig and Kiku reached the front as well, Alfred was already looking glum by the door. 

“Couldn’t find them?” Ludwig asked, tipping his head a bit. When Alfred shook his head, he couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved; he would have felt left out if Alfred knew right away who it was. 

“I feel like they were so close! So close! And it’s so strong here… do you think it was someone from this class? Or maybe it was from a different class?”

“Why don’t we try next time?” Ludwig suggested, heading out of the class. “We can see if he’s anywhere else, too.”

Kiku nodded. “If we run into that scent more than once, we can narrow it down.”

As much as Alfred didn’t want to wait, he knew his roommate and new friend were right. And so, the search began.


	3. Closer Than You Think

“It seems there is no sign around campus of your alpha,” Ludwig murmured gently to Alfred. It was a slow day, weeks after the omega had first caught the scent of the alpha that seemed to evade their every move. Now, they were just holed up in their dorm on their day off.

The weather even seemed to reflect Alfred’s mood; dark and raining, with seemingly no hope of sunshine. It was late October and it seemed they had gotten nowhere in their search. Alfred whimpered and “Shouldn’t they have smelled _my_ scent if we were meant to be?” 

Ludwig didn’t want to point out that maybe the alpha _did_ pick up Alfred’s scent and they _did_ see Alfred, but… with Alfred’s condition that Ludwig shared, they didn’t want to interact. It was a sad reality that he was worried may happen to the both of them. They weren’t appealing to anyone, he knew that. The idea made his heart clench.

“I’m sure we’ll find them.”

He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

Ludwig especially had never coped well with the idea that he might be alone forever. He at least wanted someone that would cuddle him and take care of him. He wanted someone that would kiss him and say they loved him and made the world right for him. If they didn’t want to mate him, or didn’t want pups that he secretly wanted so much, so be it… as long as they loved him and held him, that was enough. 

“Lost in thought there?” Alfred teased half-heartedly, but quickly shut up when he noticed that Ludwig’s cheeks were streaked with tears. “Ludwig? I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s okay,” he interrupted, furiously wiping the evidence that he cried away. Gilbert wouldn’t approve of him showing that much emotion, even if it was more common for omegas to do so. He just couldn’t help that everything seemed so helpless… but he shouldn’t let that get to him, no matter what. “You’re right. Lost in thought.”

Alfred looked a bit concerned, creeping closer. “Do you… want a hug or something?”

Startled by the question, the omega frowned up at him. “Hug me? Why would you want to?”

The other blond just shrugged, sitting next to Ludwig. “As a form of comfort. My alpha friends would do the same too, if they were feeling nice.”

It was almost embarrassing how Ludwig perked up. “You got hugged by an alpha? What did it feel like?”

“Like… any other hug…? Have you never been hugged before?”

Okay, definitely embarrassing. Ludwig couldn’t help but sputter. “Wh- yeah, why wouldn’t I have been! Hugs are… nice…”

“Hugs by someone other than your brother?”

Ludwig went silent at that. 

“Listen, we’ll find an alpha that can hug you,” Alfred promised, patting Ludwig’s back. “One bigger than you who will let you nuzzle their chest!”

Why didn’t Ludwig want that really? “I think that’s what you want, not me, Alfred.”

The other omega blushed. “Ah, sue me. Anyway, we’ll find you one. Maybe on the way to class we can find someone!”

“I doubt we will.”

It was a pretty downer morning, but when Alfred arrived in the classroom again, he inhaled that lovely scent that still permeated the walls. He could swear that the person was still in the classroom, but no one caught his eye as he looked out into the theatre. 

He took his normal spot beside Ludwig, talking just as much as usual and doodling in his sketchbook. He actually noticed that Ludwig was on his laptop browsing Pinterest instead of taking notes for the most part.

“Psst, whatcha doin’?” He asked, leaning over. 

Before he could get a glimpse, though, Ludwig quickly covered his screen with his hands. “Nothing!”

“Is that a nursery?” He asked, attempting to pry Ludwig’s hands off the screen. He never took Ludwig as one who wanted pups, but this whole page of nursery ideas and clothes for pups was definitely indicative of the opposite. “Aw, this one’s cute.”

Ludwig seemed to relax a little bit at the positive feedback, though still a bit wary. “Yes… I like that one a lot.”

“You don’t take me as the kind who likes pups,” Alfred blurted, then waved his hands. “Not that it’s bad! It’s just unexpected.”

“No, that’s okay. I know I’m not…” he gazed longingly at the pictures. “But I really do want them. Lots of them. I love the idea so much…”

“We’ll find you someone that will make that all come true,” Alfred assured him, and the amount of sureness in his voice struck a chord with Ludwig. Maybe they would find someone, with Alfred’s determination—

“Mr. Jones,” a voice said sternly. The two omegas immediately shut up, looking to the source of the voice… the professor. He shook his head, not saying anything, but what the two were doing wrong was obvious.

“Sorry,” the blond mumbled, a bit irritated, curling slightly in on himself. It embarrassed him to no end when he got called out, even if he wasn’t terribly bothered after he left the classroom.

They both managed to stay fairly silent, Ludwig continuing to save things to his board, and Alfred doodling in his notebook, thinking about the big strong alpha he wanted. There didn’t seem to be any student in the class who matched his ideal type. He held out for the idea that his prospective mate was elsewhere and simply had the same class at a different time. A big, handsome alpha with strong arms and beautiful eyes and a lovely beard.

Finally, class came to a close— _not soon enough_ , Alfred added to Ludwig, who snorted— and they both made their way to the front of the class before—

“Alfred,” the professor called, leaning on his desk. “I’d like to have a word with you before you go, please.”

He inwardly groaned, but smiled and nodded, nudging Ludwig. “I’ll meet you outside, ‘kay?”

The scent was stronger than ever as the students left the classroom, and Alfred did his best to try and find the source of the scent, but it just didn’t seem to be coming from any of his classmates.

“We need to talk about your… talking habit,” the professor began once everyone had left. “I don’t ever see you taking notes, proper ones. I see you doodling.”

“How can you tell I’m doodling if I’m sitting higher than you and further away than you?” Alfred challenged. 

The professor— Mr. Braginski, Alfred mentally noted once he saw the name tag— rolled his eyes. “If you’re so sure that you weren’t doodling, I’d like to see your notes, please.”

He shut up at that, his cheeks reddening and his attitude dissipating. “I guess… I sort of doodle during class.”

“That’s what I thought. Now let’s see how many assignments you’ve handed in. Give me a second.” Mr. Braginski shuffled to sit at his desk, opening his laptop and tapping away to find the list of assignments that Alfred definitely, surely, 100-per-cent definitely maybe sorta did. 

As Alfred rolled on the ball of his feet and back again, humming to himself nervously, he found himself getting lost in thought. Mr. Braginski was sort of what he was looking for, if he was honest. Not his professor of course, but the alpha was tall— way too tall, actually, what the fuck— and muscular but not _too_ muscular. And he had the beard that Alfred thought was kinda hot on a lot of people that he couldn’t grow himself. And Mr. Braginski actually smelled really good, which was always a bonus, sort of like...

Wait.

He couldn’t help but take a deeper breath of the scent that hung around Mr. Braginski’s desk. It seemed to sink into the chair, the desk, and everything on it, even the projector screen and the whiteboard behind it.

It was the same scent Alfred had been trying to track down.

“Here it is. You haven’t turned in any of the assignments yet—”

“HEY,” Alfred interrupted loudly, his cheeks blooming with colour. He held up his phone awkwardly, hoping that he held it up the right way (with the back of the phone facing his prof). “Uh, my b-brother is calling, I really need to take this call because he was in the… hospital and I want to see if he’s okay. I’ve gotta go, I’ll submit those assignments, see you next class, Mr. B… bye!”

With that, he sprinted out of the class, his mind a jumbled mess of thoughts. Of course there was no phone call from his brother, and he wasn’t in the hospital at all, but Alfred needed to get out of there.

His feet took him almost straight into Ludwig, who looked concerned at Alfred’s distractedness and out-of-character silence. “What’s wrong? Was the professor mean? I can help you finish those assignments—”

“ _He’s_ the source of the scent,” Alfred breathed, holding Ludwig’s arms to steady himself. His heart thundered in his chest, his ears starting to ring. “The professor. Mr. Braginski. _He’s_ the source of the scent… _my professor is my intended_.”


	4. You're My- Oh. Okay. Nevermind.

Ivan was in love.

Okay, he wasn’t in love _really_ , at least not true love. He had only met the person several weeks ago, and while he knew of them, he didn’t… _know_ them. At all. Even still, he claimed in private that he was in love, because what other words could describe the light, airy, warm feeling in his chest?

It all started when his class started. It was only his second year teaching, and his first year actually being a full-time professor. He had been nervous on his first day, as most people were, checking and rechecking his teeth and shirt to make sure there was nothing on them, straightening out his papers and double-checking his notes. 

And when the students started to come in, that’s when he smelled it.

For once in his life, Ivan was attentive to a scent. He was never one to chase after omegas who didn't want a full on relationship, and he certainly never dated just for the experience. He simply went through life best he could.

But when he smelled the scent of an omega, a particular one that had the scent of seaspray, summer, and sweets, he couldn’t help but take a nice deep breath of it. It was calming, and more importantly, it was beautiful.

Nothing could compare to the source of the scent though. 

Ivan never thought that the source of the scent he favoured would be a male omega, and especially not a slightly more… abnormal one. He had always pictured a tiny female omega with big hips and chest, who would squish his cheeks and call him _my love_ and _sweetie_. He certainly wasn’t opposed to what he got, though. 

The omega was fairly tall for someone of his dynamic, with lovely golden hair and a hyper yet nervous attitude. Oddly enough, Ivan found his demeanour quite charming, despite it being completely different than he expected. 

Alfred was his name, Ivan was quick to remember. Roll call definitely had a bonus to it, and that was learning someone’s name without having to ask them directly. He was grateful for that. Ivan thought about Alfred a lot. There was one thing holding him back, though, from bringing up the fact that he and Alfred were meant to be; it was the fact that not only was Ivan older than him by ten years give or take (at least from what he could tell) and they were also in a professional setting where professors shouldn’t have relationships with their students. 

It really did make him anxious, though he kept quiet, trying to think about how he should really bring everything up. If all the articles and things Ivan had been taught were correct, both of them should know that they were each other’s intended mates. Their scents had to be perfectly paired as opposites, which from what Ivan could tell was the case— he had been informed his own scent was very winter-esque, and Alfred’s was summer-esque— and they should each be naturally inclined and hyper sensitive to their intended’s scent. All the checkboxes were ticked, but Ivan was a champion at second guessing himself. 

It occurred to him at some point that Alfred probably didn’t even notice that Ivan was his intended. The omega didn’t even seem to know his name, or express interest in him, instead focused on finding someone that he knew… or something. It was a bit odd, but Ivan didn’t take it personally, considering he himself had never gone up to Alfred and informed him. He held onto that idea despite his mind insisting Alfred probably wanted nothing to do with him.

Finally, he had the courage (and a reason) to call the other to his desk for a school-related matter, where he was hoping to bring up the “intended” subject. As much as Ivan liked Alfred, the omega never seemed to turn in anything for assignments. 

Being so close to his intended nearly made Ivan lightheaded, but not in a bad way. In fact, when he was so close, his instincts wanted him to purr and nuzzle and flirt, but he knew that was way out of his comfort zone and probably Alfred’s too. Especially if Alfred wasn’t aware of their connection. 

“We need to talk about your… talking habit,” he began. To spare Alfred of any embarrassment, he had waited until both his friend and the rest of the students had left. “I don’t ever see you taking notes, proper ones. I see you doodling.”

It was true, that was for sure. Every so often Ivan would spare a glance-- he didn’t want to be obvious in staring-- and each and every time, it seemed to be obvious.

“How can you tell I’m doodling if I’m sitting higher than you and further away than you?” Alfred challenged. To be fair, it would be hard to figure it out, but Ivan was so sure that he wasn’t taking notes that he couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“If you’re so sure that you weren’t doodling, I’d like to see your notes, please.”

That seemed to take Alfred off guard, much to Ivan’s smugness, though he was distracted by Alfred’s cheeks turning a brilliant shade of red that made… his freckles pop. _Alfred has freckles, why is he so CUTE?!_ “I guess… I sort of doodle during class.”

Ivan nodded, turning to sit down at his desk. Was he supposed to bring the intended thing up now? Should he? It seemed so hard to just outright say… Alfred even seemed to be getting antsy. “That’s what I thought. Now let’s see how many assignments you’ve handed in. Give me a second.”

Buying himself more time was easy when he could literally just click anything and make Alfred think that he was looking for assignments, when he was actually just browsing the web for inspirational quotes instead. _I have to do it. Now or never._

First, assignments, then life-changing truths uncovered. No pressure, right? “Here it is. You haven’t turned in any of the assignments yet—”

“HEY, my brother is calling, I really need to take this call because he was in the hospital and I want to see if he’s okay. I’ve gotta go, I’ll submit those assignments, see you next class, Mr. B… bye!”

Ivan had no chance to try and arrange for another meeting, or even get a word out regarding the assignments, let alone being intended. Though, he couldn’t-- _shouldn’t_ \-- be mad; Alfred looked especially pale, probably hoping for no bad news. 

“See you later,” he mumbled weakly as the omega ran out, leaving a summer-scented trail in his wake. So much for that.


	5. Kiku Spills the Beans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kiku gives info for free... this time.

Ludwig was jealous before, that was for sure, but now he wasn’t so sure that he wanted to be in Alfred’s situation at all.

So, the professor. Sure the professor was… nice, but that wasn’t enough to be a mate to someone. Ludwig decided to give the prof the benefit of the doubt— after all, he didn’t want to talk down on Alfred’s mate. As much as Ludwig wanted a mate, he couldn’t ever imagine what it would be like to have someone who looked— or was— thirty years older. 

“I can’t believe it, it’s _him_ , why has he not told me that he smelled me? Do you think he hates me? What if I never find love even if he’s right there?” Alfred lamented, letting out a sob. Ludwig just rubbed his back in a (hopefully) comforting way. 

“I think he maybe just doesn’t want to scare you or something?” He suggested. “After all, he’s probably a lot older than you… coming on so strong would be creepy.”

Alfred did actually seem to consider that idea, and relaxed ever so slightly. “I guess so… but he could have said something. Or maybe it’s only one way, the scents? What if he hates me?!”

And off he went with those hysterics again. Ludwig didn’t really know what to say anymore; he had exhausted every assurance he had, so the best thing he could do was just rub Alfred’s back some more.

“I need… I need a distraction,” Alfred mumbled after some time, sniffling pathetically. 

“I would agree if it wasn’t imperative that you make a decision as to if you’re going to reject him or not.” Ludwig was blunt when he wanted to be, that was for sure. “You can’t just think about yourself. He’s probably figuring things out, too.”

The slightly shorter omega nodded morosely, but squared his shoulders. “I think I know just who to ask about guidance.”

—

“Kiku? Seriously?” Ludwig hissed at Alfred, who was striding confidently to the quiet table there the raven-haired omega sat. “I don’t think he’s the right—”

“Hush, hush,” Alfred called back to Ludwig before taking a seat next to their new friend. 

The aforementioned new friend was completely taken off guard by the arrival of the two blond omegas, eyes wide. “Alfred? Ludwig?”

“Heya, Keeks! I came to say hello to my new good friend! Ain’t that swell?” Alfred grinned, looping his arm around a not-so-eager Kiku. 

“Forgive me for not expressing as much jubilance,” the omega deadpanned, looking just as thrilled as his monotone voice. 

Alfred laughed, letting go of the other and quieting down a bit— much to Ludwig’s silent surprise. That was one thing Alfred rarely was: quiet. “Well, I do have some updates on my… ah… Alpha situation…”

The mood shift seemed to pique Kiku’s interest. “Good news?”

“Depends how you look at it. You see, we found the alpha, but…” Alfred glanced around nervously, dropping his voice to a whisper. “It’s the prof. Mr. Braginski.”

Whether Kiku was surprised or not, Ludwig couldn’t tell, finally taking his own seat to hear what the response was. 

“Oh.”

“Oh? That’s it?” Alfred demanded. “I tell you this highly secretive information and all you have to say about it is _oh_?!”

“Why do you need to tell me this, Alfred?”

Ludwig was finally the one to speak up instead. “He thinks you would have advice on relationships. Or information on the prof, I suppose.”

While he mulled it over, Alfred watched intently, brow slightly furrowed. Patience wasn’t his strong point. “So?”

“I have some information if you really want it. For free, no charge,” Kiku said slowly. “But don’t expect this to be a regular thing.”

“Wait… information usually comes with a price?”

He never got an answer. 

“Mr. Braginski is sort of an odd guy,” Kiku began, abandoning his tray of food altogether. “He’s not fifty like people say or anything. Just a guy who had a lot of stresses from when he was younger that make him look older. He’s only twenty-nine. 

His parents died when he was quite young, so he was raised with his older cousin and a sister. At some point he was in the military. I don’t know much more than that. But he loves the colour yellow, bees, and he makes his own jams and harvests his own honey. Does that help at all?”

From Ludwig’s perspective, Alfred at least seemed relieved that Mr. Braginski wasn’t as old as initially thought. “So since I have to tell him we’re intended, do I bring up those subjects, or what? I don’t know what to do! That’s sweet and all but this is more about what can help me...”

“Well, I think the best thing to do is just make a plan,” the raven haired omega murmured, already thinking intensely about where to start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as much as I wanted to continue regular uploads I had disappeared. my apologies hehe


	6. Out to Lunch... Almost

It had taken about a week, several cookies, a swig of vodka that they somehow got their hands on, and a poorly written (and thankfully discarded) script for Alfred to omega-up enough to do this.

He steeled himself and strutted down the stairs to the front of the classroom, staying back despite the crowd of people leaving. Soon enough only Ludwig, Alfred, and the professor were in there. Today was the best day to do it, because Alfred was feeling good, relaxed, and definitely not nervous. 

“Hey teach!” Alfred called from his perch in the fourth row. Only now did he start to have second guesses at his timing. Was Mr. B in a good mood? What if the alpha attacked him? He had heard stories of alphas who rejected their omegas and killed them. Obviously that was not recently, in fact that was a couple hundred years ago, but there was still a chance, probably!!!

He realized had actually had the attention of the professor even as his mind decided to go for a nice stroll through what-the-fuck-might-happen forest. The professor calling his name shook him out of his thoughts, the older man’s face showing something like concern or confusion. Probably both. Alfred got that look a lot. 

“Sooooo…” The omega sauntered over to the front, hands resting on the professor’s desk, looking quite… nervous? Excited? Worried? Who knew. “Intended.”

A flash of several indecipherable emotions crossed the alphas face, but it settled on a neutral look. “Yes.”

So Mr. Braginski knew exactly what they were? Alfred couldn’t help but feel a bit hurt at that idea. Did he not want him? “Why didn’t you say anything? If you knew, uh, like, all of this?”

When he got no answer, he flinched, hands going to play with the strap on his backpack. Did his intended not care at all? “You know that uh. Some… some omegas get discouraged…”

“I don’t want you to get discouraged,” the professor murmured, effectively silencing Alfred’s worries. “I never wanted to give you the idea that I didn’t want you.”

Oh. Okay. So he did want him? “So why didn’t you say anything?”

Mr. B. got up from his desk, tucking his hands behind his back as he approached the other. “We’re in a professional environment. I didn’t think it would be the most wise for me to approach you for a personal matter.”

Alfred’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly when the other approached him in a nonthreatening manner, but he still remained alert in case that changed. “But if we’re intended, don’t you think it would be best if you had said something?”

“Maybe. But what about you? Should you have said something earlier? I don’t think it really matters who said it first.” The alpha shrugged. It wasn’t accusing, it was more just a suggestion. “Either way, we’re here now.”

“I guess…” He bit his lip. How did he not notice how attractive his teacher actually was? Tall… so very tall, bulky, and he had a beard. Not to mention that accent made his heart thunder against his ribs and his knees go weak.

“What should we do?” The alpha asked, tipping his head a bit. “I don’t want to stress you out during school, as balancing a relationship along with work would most likely be difficult.”

Considerate too, Alfred mentally noted. Before he knew it, he had drawn closer to the other, biting his lip in a slightly more… sensual way. “I wouldn’t mind at least tryin’... you’re really sweet…” 

The alpha finally had the decency to look flustered, cheeks reddening. “W-wh… are you sure? Shouldn’t we take things a bit slower?”

Despite Alfred’s eagerness to just get on with it, he knew that Mr. B had a point. He was so suddenly enamoured with the alpha, but he had no clue with he was really like and how things would go. 

“How about… how about we just… wait until winter break, if you’re not doing anything?” Alfred offered, pausing before contributing to explain. “My parents are travelling around and my brother is in Germany, so I’m not going home over the break. I’m hanging around here.”

That seemed to calm the professor down a bit, his cheeks getting a bit less red and his posture relaxing. “Okay. That’s fine, we can do that.”

Just as Alfred went to open his mouth again, though, Ludwig cleared his throat from the back of the classroom. It seemed both of them had forgotten that the other omega was there. 

Ivan didn’t even seem like he noticed Ludwig was there in the _first_ place, judging by his alarmed glance at Alfred, who simply laughed lightly. “He knows already, don’t worry. Ludwig is my roommate. I should probably head back to my room… I’ll see you around, Mr. B.”

“Just call me Ivan. Er! Uh, w-when we’re not in class, of course,” the alpha stuttered, resuming his nervous exterior. 

Alfred couldn’t help but laugh again and head towards the door, Ludwig quickly reaching his side and slipping out in front of him. “Sounds good.”

It was clear that something was still on Ivan’s mind, his expression slightly dazed, but he just bobbed his head awkwardly. “Um. I’ll… see you around, yeah.”

And with that, the door clicked shut, but it wasn’t enough to block the loud _WOOO!_ that Alfred let free as soon as he could. “Could you believe that? I have a mate now!”

“Technically you’re not mates _until_ you mate, Al,” Ludwig reminded him as they walked towards their dorm, but it was weak, halfhearted teasing. It made Alfred stop in his tracks, guilt crawling into his throat. 

“Hey,” he said softly, turning back to Ludwig and putting an arm around him. “Listen, dude. I know I got my alpha. But our agreement is still in place, and I’m still going to help you find your beau, okay? Just because I have mine doesn’t mean I’m dipping. We’re in this together.”

The best Ludwig could do was a barely noticeable half-smile, but it was more emotion than Alfred usually got, so he was happy. “Just you wait, Luddy-Boy. We’ll find your alpha.”

—

The next month or so was uneventful in both Ludwig and Alfred’s lives. Classes continued, exams came and went, and nothing really changed, save for the lack of hunt for a mate for Ludwig. It seemed as though Lud would bury himself in his work, refusing to leave the dorm unless there was a class. 

Alfred had realized that it was probably to get Lud’s mind off not having a mate, but it wasn’t like Al really had one yet; it wasn’t Christmas break yet, nor had he and Ivan broken the unspoken rule; don’t try anything until the break comes. So all in all, Al was bored as hell, more often than not trapped with a roommate who wouldn’t do anything except study. 

“Dude, you _have_ to get out every once in a while,” Alfred complained, sprawling out on the bed and stretching. “We’ve been studying for literal _years_! Come on, let’s have some fun!”

Ludwig remained hunched over his work. The way he always sat looked like he should have a pretty bad hunchback by now, but when he wasn’t huddled over work, his back was as straight as a board. Alfred had no clue how that worked. “No.”

“No? That’s all? My bro, my dude, my fam… you’re going to overwork yourself.” He shook his head a bit. “Just a couple of hours to take a breather, get some good food… just, like... exist, you know? Kiku and I were planning on heading to that really good dumpling place, but I think it’s closed, so we might go somewhere else…”

After a long pause and an equally long sigh, the omega sat up and pushed himself away from the desk, much to Alfred’s delight. “I suppose that would make sense… but it mustn’t be for long. I have to return to work.”

“Ohhhh, someone’s been reading the old English books! ‘Mustn’t’? You sound like an old English dictionary!” Alfred teased, but jumped to his feet and ran to get his coat and shoes on. 

“So you and Kiku have been hanging out more often?” Ludwig asked, following suit, though a bit more slowly. “When did that start?”

“Like, ten billion years ago,” the other omega replied, wiggling a bit as he waited for him. “Nah, but seriously, like two weeks ago, maybe? He plays the same games I do, so it’s like… it works. We can’t hang out all the time, because… like, he’s kinda like you. He prefers to study. But he can’t pass up good food and a game. Plus, we have our own little posse now! He invited a couple of people he knows.”

The idea of meeting more people wasn’t too appealing, but he knew Alfred would never let him change his mind. “I see…”

“It’ll be fun, dude. Just trust me,” Alfred announced, leading them out and towards the gate. It didn’t take very long before they saw a group of three mixed dynamic boys, Kiku standing in the centre. “See! There they are! That’s Feliciano, he’s an alpha, and that’s Tino! Tino is also an omega.”

As they got closer, Kiku dipped his head in greeting. “I see Alfred has managed to get you to come along this time, and has already introduced you to my companions.”

The one that was Tino stepped forward, taking Ludwig’s hand and shaking it formally. “Pleased to meet you, Ludwig. Alfred has said much about you.”

“He really has! Wouldn’t stop talking about you,” the alpha, Feliciano, chimed in. Ludwig simply nodded lightly.

It was sort of odd that Feliciano was hanging out in a group of exclusively omegas, considering it was looked down upon by other alphas, but his mental question was answered by Alfred. “He’s trying to get to know a lot of omegas, since he hasn’t found a mate yet. We’re letting him tag along for now!”

That seemed fair. Feli didn’t seem like a bad person at all so he felt sort of safe with the other. Ludwig dipped his head in acknowledgement. “So... where are we eating?”

There was a bit of a disagreement it seemed, with Alfred saying one thing, Kiku saying another, and the alpha— Feliciano— exclaiming he wanted to go somewhere completely different. Clearly what was said before was a suggestion and no concrete plans were set. 

“God help us,” Ludwig mumbled, letting out a sigh and checking the time and pinching the bridge of his nose a bit. Eventually, Tino took Feliciano’s place in the squabble, leaving Ludwig and Feliciano alone. 

“You should see what happens when there are more of us!” The auburn alpha laughed, though his smile was fond. He clearly quite enjoyed his friend’s company, even as they got a bit heated. It made even Ludwig’s mouth turn up slightly. 

“I can’t imagine it going well, but at least in the end we _will_ be eating... right?”

Feliciano shrugged, patting Ludwig’s shoulder. “Let’s hope so! I’ve seen them give up going anywhere and being too stubborn about it.”

The simple touch seemed like nothing to Ludwig, at least not in his rational mind. But his body took it differently. It was a strong hand, despite being from someone slightly shorter than him, and it was warm. And it came from someone who had a very pleasant scent, which made it just a bit worse. Why did he feel like this? It almost made him nervous, was all he could compare it to. 

He’d ask later. Right now, he was just hungry. “Okay, listen everyone, we’re going to the restaurant down the street that Feliciano and Tino wanted to go to and that’s final.”

It seemed like that was all they needed; a tiny push in the right direction. Maybe that’s what Ludwig needed, too...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a new chapter that i managed to get back from deletion. figured i should just post it instead of waiting because whats the fun in waiting????
> 
> also im so glad you all leave comments, ive saved them all and they make me really happy! even if you didn’t leave a comment but you kudosed, thank you so much fam <3<3 AND EVEN IF YOU DID NEITHER... you’re pretty neat!!


	7. Cafe Outings

Every week on either Tuesday or Wednesday was when their little group would get together. It only lasted a week or two, though, before Alfred had warned that he was going to be skipping their next outing. It was the time that he and Ivan had agreed to try something out; Holiday break. 

“Don’t get too ambitious,” Ludwig warned Alfred as the other omega grabbed his coat and pulled his shoes on, always looking like he was in a rush. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alfred scoffed, pausing briefly to stick his tongue out at Ludwig. 

The German omega simply rolled his eyes. “What I mean is, don’t try and take everything at once. Take things slow, even though you’ve been waiting this long.”

“It’s not going to be like that. He wants to go slow, too!”

“I know, but if you get closer to him and your heat rolls around, you might have _desires_ and _instincts_ , and… you know! So just make sure if you _do_ end up in heat—“

“Use protection, I know, I know,” Alfred interrupted, cheeks red. “You said this like ten times just in the last day and a half. Chill, dude! I’m fine. See you later!”

Ludwig waved, and with that, Alfred was gone, leaving the other omega stuck in the dorm alone. He knew that he was discouraged that he hadn’t found an alpha yet, but Alfred couldn’t help it! 

This was all so new to him, but he was so thrilled that Ivan was willing to try things out. Well, he sort of had to since they were intended, but that wasn’t the point. He was looking forward to seeing his hot, tall Russian alpha teacher— no. Not just a teacher anymore… boyfriend. At least, he hoped they would settle on being boyfriends. Doubts tugged at the back of his mind, but he pushed them away and took a deep breath of the cold winter air. “I can do this.”

He and Ivan’s first plan was to meet up at a coffee shop; not quite a date, but could be, if it went well. It wasn’t any place like Starbucks, nothing big. _Just a little family-owned hole-in-the-wall with the best coffee in town. Casual, but not too casual. Just right._

Considering he didn’t have a car, he had to half bus it and half walk to the place, but thankfully, he arrived just on time. In fact, Ivan seemed to be late; Alfred couldn’t see him in the shop, let alone around the entrance. 

“Looking for someone?” 

The deep, smooth voice caught Alfred off guard, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. “Ivan! You shouldn’t spook me like that, my man!” 

The Russian alpha simply laughed, his warm breath making a little cloud in the frosty air. “You looked to be deep in thought.” 

“I was not,” Alfred pouted, but it immediately disappeared, replaced with an excited smile. Without thinking, he hugged Ivan tightly and buried his face between those big pecs of his alphas that he totally hadn’t dreamed about the night before. Totally not. And they definitely weren’t exactly how he definitely didn’t imagine. And he wasn’t being self indulgent. It didn’t even occur to him that his alpha wasn’t even wearing a jacket in the sub-zero temperature. 

Ivan chuckled lightly and waited a few seconds before gently coaxing him off. “Alright, alright, we should head into the coffee place instead of crowding the entrance. In you go.” 

A bit disappointed that he wasn’t able to stay smushed against the comfortably warm chest, but eager to get a hot cup in his freezing hands, he obeyed, happily slipping inside to hold the door open for the larger man. He didn’t even realize before that Ivan had to duck through doorways. That was hot as hell. Alfred considered himself a tree-hugger, and he believed he scored himself a whole tree to climb. 

“You a coffee person?” Ivan asked once they had the menu in sight. “Or a tea person? Or, neither. Hot chocolate is also good.” 

“Mmm. Depends how close exams are,” Alfred, grinned, before turning back to the menu. “I like mochas! That wasn’t any of the options you gave me.” 

Ivan blinked before he smiled slightly. “I didn’t even remember those existed, if I’m honest.” 

Once they had ordered their drinks, Alfred managed to snatch a table in the corner of the shop by the window, much to his delight. “I like… I never get these tables! It’s crazy!” 

“That’s true. I come here to grade work on occasion. These are always full.” 

Despite them both being thrilled to get the seat, both of them noticed how small the chairs actually were. Ivan didn’t look terribly relaxed, all folded up like he was. But he looked eager to stay, regardless, smiling wide. Alfred found it adorable. 

“So what do we talk about?” He asked, tipping his head lightly and leaning on the table, palms under his chin. “I haven’t been on a date before.” 

“Not school, please. We both have had enough of that, I think.” 

“Deal.” 

Ivan leaned forward just a little bit as well, almost searching Alfred’s face. It almost made Alfred sheepish. “Have I got something on my face?” 

“No,” Ivan assured him, sliding his hand forward. His gaze was soft, and held something that the omega couldn’t describe. “I’m just thinking about how the first time I saw you, I fell in love.” 

It took a few seconds for Alfred’s mind to catch up, but when it did, his face went scarlet. “Y-you-” 

“Fell in love, yes. I knew it as soon as you walked in that door that you were going to be mine, fated or not.” 

Although Alfred had understood and heard exactly what Ivan was saying, he still sat there in disbelief. Did he really…? His heart seemed to squeeze as he took Ivan’s hand, bringing it to his face. Much to his embarrassment, he realized he was tearing up. “Oh, Ivan… you just made me the happiest Omega out there.” 

Screw his anxieties from earlier about Ivan rejecting him. There was no way that the alpha would do that, judging by the gentle and oh-so-in-love look on his face. “Good. I intend to keep you that way.” 

Alfred quickly wiped his tears and pressed a kiss to Ivan’s hand, before snuggling into it. “God, you’re so sweet… my finding out of you being my intended isn’t nearly as pretty.” 

“Sounds like you’ve got a story to tell,” Ivan winked, sliding one of his feet to settle between Alfred’s own. Got to get as close as possible without moving the whole table, he supposed. 

“Well…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY I TOOK SO LONG I'VE BEEN SO BUSY  
> the next chapter should be out super soon. i wrote this one and the next one at nearly the same time but i was struggling to start/finish them, so excuse my clunky writing.


	8. Totally NOT Romantic

With Alfred skipping the group outing to go with Ivan elsewhere, there were only three people left to decide on what to do. And, somehow, Kiku had gotten himself wrapped up in doing... _other stuff_ (whatever that was) with the infamous Herakles on the same day. So in the end, the only two people meeting up were Ludwig and Feliciano, which was actually kind of nice for once. 

Despite being a bit hesitant around the alpha for a bit in the beginning, Ludwig found himself at ease more often than not being around Feliciano. They seemed to balance each other out quite well, which was a bit surprising to the both of them. Considering they were opposites in all sense of the word, it seemed to surprise both Alfred and Kiku as well, too. 

Instead of going to the usual places, they mutually decided to go to a bit of a nicer place to grab takeout, and walk around the neighborhood outside of the school to find a picnic table to eat at. It was almost romantic if they had been interested in each other, but Ludwig wasn’t, clearly, and Feli hadn’t said anything, so it was fine. 

“So, _why_ exactly couldn’t Alfred come? He’s here all the time! He’s the one doing all the friend making and stuff,” Feliciano asked. If taken out of context, Ludwig ought to have been offended in the ‘aren’t I good enough?’ way, but knowing the social alpha’s ways, he simply shrugged. 

“He was meeting someone else, so he couldn’t.”

“He could have brought them along,” Feli protested, pouting slightly. 

Ludwig raised an eyebrow, but shrugged again instead. Absentmindedly, he played with the little loose plastic handle of the takeout bag that held their food. “I don’t think that would have worked out, especially with who he’s dating…”

Despite saying that part quietly, Feliciano immediately stopped, his face going from all frowny to intrigued. “Who’s he dating? A celebrity? A model? Those are the same thing but they’re also different!”

“I… er… it’s not really my place to say,” Ludwig mumbled, face reddening when he realized his mistake. He shouldn’t have said that! He was never going to live this down!

“Aw, come on! I’m bound to find out eventually aren’t I? It’s not like if they get married they can keep it a secret! That’s not something you can do easily!”

“I’m not saying,” Ludwig repeated, clearing his throat in an attempt to sound more stern. “After all, he should be the one to tell you when he’s comfortable.”

“Kiku knows!” Feliciano cried, throwing his hands up in the air. “And I know Alfred just as well as he does! I need to know! I promise with my whole heart not to tell anyone! Pleaaaase?”

Although Ludwig had originally been told by Alfred not to say anything about the relationship he was having with a member of faculty, Ludwig finally sighed at the nagging. “It’s Mr. Braginski.”

The gasp that came from Feliciano’s mouth was sort of uncalled for, but Ludwig had barely any time to process it because he shushed the alpha. “Don’t tell anyone! We’re supposed to keep this a secret! You know how people would talk if they found out!”

“Sorry, sorry, I was just… he’s just so _old_ , and… and…”

“He’s not actually a lot older,” Ludwig corrected hesitantly. “He just looks like it. Or so Kiku said… Iva— er, Mr. Braginski is only 29 right now.”

Feliciano’s eyes widened, almost to the comical degree. It made the omega chuckle only inwardly, had he not been so flustered. “Really?!? What a poor dude! He looks so old! He’ll never understand what it looks like to be devastatingly handsome, like me. Isn’t that sad?”

The way Feliciano said that was such sureness and a very visible smirk and wink directed _right at him_ made Ludwig agree, albeit to himself. “I think that’s quite rude of you to say.”

“Aw. Well, at least Alfred likes him a lot,” Feliciano shrugged, going back to staring at his feet as they walked. There was barely any silence before he spoke again. “So Alfred likes the big muscly type then, huh… is that what you like?”

The omega shook his head immediately. “Oh, not at all. It’s weird because… that’s generally what omegas are supposed to like. But I don’t really find big thick alphas all that handsome, I guess. He’s made fun of me about that fact but I just can’t picture having someone taller than me, holding me and stuff.”

“S-so what is your type?” 

“Mmm... hard to say. I haven’t actually thought about it too much.” Of course he had. Ludwig thought about it all the time. 

Feliciano nodded a bit, oddly going silent for more than a few heartbeats. He seemed deep in thought. Ludwig almost wanted to ask if the alpha was okay. It was… unusual for Feliciano to be so quiet, after all. 

Before he could however, Feliciano opened his mouth to say something, though he hesitated a few times before saying it. 

“You know, this might be weird to say, and tell me if I’m weird, but… my type— that is to say, my interest in omegas, is… well. It’s actually sort of like you.”

Ludwig stopped abruptly, cheeks darkening to the point where he looked a bit like a particularly startled tomato. “What do you… mean, exactly?”

Feliciano quickly waved his arms again. “It’s, uh, kinda hard to explain! But, really, I don’t mean it in a bad way!”

 _There’s no way that could be taken badly_. Ludwig tipped his head a bit, cheeks still burning, but waiting for an explanation. 

“When it comes to… ah… omegas. I don’t really like the idea of having to provide one hundred percent to the income… like I know that’s a stereotype but bear with me! A-and I like omegas who are headstrong and fierce, and don’t want to have everything given to them. They work for themselves. Independent. I also don’t like omegas that are shorter than me, but that’s getting really specific, and blue eyes are really nice and yours just look like the sky to me.” 

Ah. 

So maybe this _was_ a romantic outing now. 

“If… if it makes you happy,” he mumbled, walking ever so slightly closer next to Feli, “you’re my type… I wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with me saying that but-”

Ludwig was quickly cut off by Feliciano stepping in front of him, not necessarily blocking his way but definitely bringing him to a stop. Feliciano looked so serious, which was an almost rare expression for the alpha to wear. But the next thing he said was even more surprising. “Can I kiss you?”

All Ludwig could do was stare, almost gawking before clearing his throat. “That’s… very up front. But… I suppose if I get a _please_...” 

Why was he acting this way? He had no clue. His heart was thundering in his chest, stomach filled to the brim with butterflies. Was he really going to let a random alpha kiss him? He supposed Feli wasn’t all that random, and they were comfortable together, and-

“Please and thank you,” Feliciano murmured, tugging Ludwig’s down by the collar and gently planting a kiss on Ludwig’s lips. 

Whatever Ludwig expected to happen during his first kiss, this was both simultaneously it and not it. A rocket of electricity seemed to arc through him, but it was definitely in a good way, making his chest feel light. But there was also a heat that flared on his cheeks and seemingly on his chest. 

When he thought Feliciano was going to pull away, he brought his hands up to pull Feliciano even closer, deepening the kiss. It felt so good. It felt so _right_. It felt way, way too hot outside-

Suddenly, he came to a realization and pushed Feliciano away somewhat abruptly. “Oh my gosh, not… not _now_ ,” he pleaded quietly, feeling the all-too familiar warmth settling all over his body. 

He was going into heat, and earlier than normal, because kissing an alpha triggered it.

How embarrassing. 

Feliciano didn’t seem to understand what was going on, looking both a bit hurt and a bit concerned. “Ludwig…? What’s wrong?”

Surely it wouldn’t be long before Feliciano noticed. Oh, and they hadn’t even gotten around to having dinner yet…”

“I’m so sorry, Feliciano,” Ludwig said quickly, motioning to himself. He was definitely getting redder, his pale skin showing obvious signs of warming up. “It’s… you… we… we sort of set off my heat…”

A bit awkward to say, but how else was Ludwig supposed to say it any better? And judging by the look on Feliciano’s face, it wasn’t a bad thing that he had said that. The alpha looked concerned but intrigued, but enough in control that he kept his head tilted slightly down to avoid Ludwig’s coming heat-scent. “Oh, dear. We should get you home then, no? Let’s go.”

“We haven’t had dinner yet,” the omega mumbled, holding the food up slightly in disappointment. It was a good place, too…

“No, but we can always go back. You can eat your dish when you get back to your dorm,” Feliciano reminded him, keeping a good distance from the other. “Come, come. Let’s make sure you don’t… let’s make sure we don’t have anything happen to you.”

Responsible. Ludwig had always known that Feliciano was almost exactly what he was looking for in a mate, but the more-often-than-not immature alpha always seemed to come off a little irresponsible. But not now. Not when Ludwig was in danger. 

_Danger_. That’s right, he was in danger.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Feliciano; he didn’t trust alphas in general around an omega in heat. Not that many alphas would jump him at all, but the more “perfect” omegas had to be so much more careful. An alpha catching a whiff of an unclaimed omega in heat generally didn’t go well, and Ludwig knew all too many stories about it. He couldn’t help but shiver despite the heat that was making sweat bead on his brow. 

“Ludwig,” Feliciano said softly, bringing the omega out of his darker thoughts, “can I hold your hand? I don’t want anyone to think… like… that you’re…”

He didn’t even have to finish his sentence, honestly. Ludwig easily shifted the bag of food to his other hand, taking Feli’s and squeezing it gently. “Thank you, Feliciano.”

 _God, he smells so good, now that I’m so close…_ It was common knowledge that an omega’s sense of smell, which was already quite good, would crank up to level one hundred when they were in heat. And Ludwig, since he was so close to what he could only describe in the moment as the hottest alpha he knew, was definitely aware of what Feliciano smelled like. And he smelled like a summer’s day next to the water, like sun and salt and sand with a hint of sweet fruits. It was an abnormal alpha smell, but to Ludwig, it was divine. He wanted to lean in closer, keep his head close to the alpha’s scent glands, and never leave. 

In fact, he almost started to do that before Feliciano stopped suddenly. “Here we are.”

Ludwig had never been so disappointed to arrive back at his dorm building. “Oh…”

“Will you be alright?” The auburn-haired man asked, knitting his brow slightly. “You have your nest? Do you have enough blankets? Food? Water?”

On one hand, Ludwig could lie. He could say he didn’t, tempt the alpha up, and… no. No! That was something only a needy omega would do. Ludwig prided himself on self-control. “I have enough, yes… and Alfred should come back soon with Ivan, so they could bring me stuff…”

At those words, Feliciano seemed to stiffen, his concerned expression darkening. “ _With_ Ivan?”

“Probably…” 

“You’re unclaimed. He shouldn’t be near you. What if he-?” Feliciano didn’t even seem to be able to finish the sentence. “He can’t come.”

“I can text Alfred,” Ludwig assured him weakly, the heat starting to hit harder. It was making his legs weak, his thoughts clouded. “I’ll let him know…”

He was definitely not expecting Feliciano to growl. At least it wasn’t at him. “I can’t let them near you. You’re _mine_.”

Those simple words of possession seemed to throw any control that Ludwig had out the window. He whimpered, leaning to press his face against the alpha’s neck. “Y-yeah… I’m yours…”

“I’m taking you upstairs,” Feliciano said sternly, wrapping one arm around Ludwig’s waist. It sort of forced Ludwig to follow closely, not even thinking about what might happen once they got upstairs. After all, once surrounded by an omega’s scented belongings, alphas tended to have mixed reactions, especially if said omega was in heat.

Ludwig couldn’t care less what would happen. If Feliciano was going to be there, so be it.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated! If you find grammar mistakes, let me know!!


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